US strikes three Iranian oil tankers in Gulf of Oman

US hits three Iranian oil tankers after saying its warships were targeted The United States Central Command confirmed on Tuesday that American forces launched strikes against three Iranian‑flagged oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The attacks came, it said, as a direct response to a barrage of ballistic missiles that Iran fired at two US Navy destroyers operating in the region earlier in the day. Washington described the missile launch as “unprovoked and aggressive,” and said the subsequent strikes were intended to deter further escalation and protect commercial shipping lanes that are vital to global energy markets..

According to a statement released by CENTCOM, the Iranian missiles were fired from a coastal launch site near the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway through which roughly a third of the world’s petroleum passes. The missiles, identified as short‑range, ground‑based rockets, were intercepted by the US Navy’s Aegis‑equipped vessels, but the brief engagement triggered heightened alert levels across the fleet. The two destroyers, the USS Carney and the USS Fitzgerald, suffered no damage or casualties, though crews reported hearing multiple impacts and seeing plume signatures on the horizon..

In the wake of the missile exchange, US aircraft from the carrier strike group USS Dwight D. Eisenhower were dispatched to locate and neutralise Iranian assets deemed to pose an immediate threat. Surveillance drones and fighter jets identified three tankers—Maran, Kish, and Alborz—anchored near the port of Bandar Abbas, each carrying between 80,000 and 120,000 barrels of crude..

The Pentagon alleges that the vessels were under the operational control of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and were being used to transport fuel to support militia groups in the region. The strikes were executed with precision‑guided munitions, according to senior US officials briefed on the operation. Each tanker was hit once, causing fire and substantial damage to the hulls but leaving the crews unharmed..

Emergency response teams from the US Navy’s Maritime Prepositioning Force quickly boarded the stricken ships to contain the blazes and prevent spillage. Within an hour, fire suppression systems were engaged, and the vessels were towed to a secure anchorage for assessment. No significant oil leakage was reported, and environmental monitors said the impact on marine life appeared minimal at this early stage..

Iranian state media, meanwhile, denounced the US action as “illegal aggression” and warned of “proportionate retaliation.” The IRGC’s spokesperson, Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Jafari, claimed the tankers were civilian commercial vessels operating under normal contracts and that the United States had no right to target them. He added that Iran was prepared to “defend its sovereignty and maritime interests” against any further violations, hinting at the possibility of additional missile launches or asymmetric attacks on shipping in the Gulf. International reaction to the episode has been mixed..

The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs issued a brief statement urging all parties to refrain from actions that could further destabilise a region already strained by sanctions and diplomatic friction. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, called for “de‑escalation and dialogue,” while also acknowledging the US right to self‑defence under international law. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister expressed concern that the tit‑for‑tat could jeopardise the flow of oil through the Hormuz corridor, urging both Washington and Tehran to seek a diplomatic solution..

Analysts at the Atlantic Council note that the US decision to target oil tankers marks a notable shift in its rules of engagement in the Persian Gulf. Historically, Washington has focused its kinetic response on military assets, avoiding direct strikes on commercial shipping unless those vessels were clearly linked to hostile operations. “By expanding the target set to include tankers, the United States is sending a stark message that any logistical support to the IRGC will be treated as a legitimate military target,” said senior fellow Dr..

“It raises the stakes for regional actors who rely on Iranian oil for revenue.” The Pentagon has not disclosed whether the strikes were coordinated with allied navies operating in the area, such as the United Kingdom’s HMS Duke of York or France’s frigate La Fayette. However, a senior NATO official confirmed that allied forces were “closely monitoring the situation” and stood ready to assist if the conflict broadened. The United States continues to lead a multinational task force tasked with ensuring the free flow of commerce through the Gulf, a mission that has grown increasingly complex in the face of Iranian assertiveness and the spectre of proxy warfare in Yemen and Iraq..

Economic markets reacted swiftly to the news, with Brent crude futures edging up 0.8% in early trading, reflecting concerns over potential supply disruptions. Shipping insurers reported a modest rise in premiums for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a trend that mirrors previous spikes following regional flare‑ups. Nevertheless, trade analysts caution that the impact on global oil prices will likely remain limited as the United States has signalled its willingness to contain any escalation before it spreads to broader commercial routes..

In Washington, the incident has sparked a debate within Congress over the appropriate level of force in response to Iranian provocations. A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a resolution urging the administration to pursue “measured diplomatic pressure” alongside any military action, citing the risk of a broader confrontation that could draw in China or Russia..